So I’ve been learning a lot of tunes during my Grade 1+2 consolidation, but I do have a question:
A lot of the songs I’m learning have instrumental bridges. On the recording, these are usually filled by one or more instruments soloing. At this point, I do not have the skills to fill such a bridge with anything but strumming, and in some cases I feel like this really doesn’t work. Perhaps bridge is too long, and the repetitive strumming just feels dull, or maybe it’s a really well-know instrumental bridge, and the song sort of feels empty without it.
Curious to hear how others who don’t (currently) have the skills to fill the bridge with a lead line handle it.
If nothing else just pick individual notes of the chord you are playing
go from there to playing the relevant scale.
major for a major chord, minor for a minor chord ( easiest is stick to the penta scale)
you dont even have to go too hard here just for the main chords ( E, A, G, D etc) learn a few spots around the open chord that are part of the relevant scale and work around those.
Hi, trying to change the strumming is already something. To have fun I hum the solos and strum, if it’s too difficult to hum I sing it just in my head. It’s fun to do and prevents me to get bored at the instrumental part and keeps the connection with the song alive.
Interesting question, and independent of skill levels. Even if you are confidently playing lead lines that is not necessary always the best to put into an instrumental sections when you are performing just by yourself on an acoustic guitar (which I assume this is what your question is about). For the audience that can be a big change every time there is a switch from singing+strumming (fuller chords and harmony) to a lead line (just one note at a time). It can be more confusing than interesting (although there are songs where you want just that).
Look at Billy String’s playing - he clearly can play lead lines and switch in and out of it - but he rarely plays long passages just lead. In his breaks he often goes from chord to chord with full or partial strums mixed in ever so often, actual melody lines only short passages between them and often ending in arpeggiated chords let to ring out to create harmony. So he never sounds like just a single melody line on a guitar.
So what I have taken away from this for my own playing (very much work in progress! this is more where I want to get to at some point) is a) chords in instrumental sections are ok b) lead lines sound best if they are anchored around the chords c) start small and slow by just putting in some short lines between the chords, build out from there later.
Arpeggiating has already been suggested. Try also standard embellishments : just sus-ing the chords on and off will change the sound, or putting pinky in various places. Both add interest in full strumming mode and are also good starters for small melody lines that can be expanded later.
I’d say it depends on the circumstances. If playing for others, eg making an AVoYP then I’d recommend that unless you can introduce some of the techniques mentioned by the others above, you should cut it down to one or two bars. A load of strumming played just because the original has a lengthy instrumental bridge will not keep listeners interested.
@Tbushell@Silvia80@MollyT@sairfingers Great suggestions and input, everyone. Thanks so much for taking the time to share your thoughts. I will absolutely explore some of these approaches.
I think the main thing for the bridge is to introduce some interest and variety, and you can absolutely do that with chords by changing your picking and dynamics.
For example, you can change your strumming pattern. You can go from playing DUDU to DDUUD, or visa versa. You can go from playing bass strings on the down strum and treble strings on the up strum to playing all the strings on every strum, or visa versa. You can change from strumming all the strings at once to strumming the strings one after the other to picking individual notes of the chords, and visa versa, and back again.
You can also play with dynamics. You can play the same chords you’ve been playing but strum very softly, as quietly as you can. You can play the same chords loudly and aggressively. You can start soft and finish loud. Or start loud, go soft, and build back up to loud.
So play around with making those same chords stand out. Think about the song and what would work - does the song call for a quiet bridge of picking individual notes softly to pull people in before the big finish, or does the song call for a high energy bridge of strumming hard and playing loud to carry people to the finish? And if the original song does one, could you add more variety by doing the other?
The song that prompted this post was the Nanci Griffith tune Ford Econoline, as covered by Todd Snider on the tribute album MORE THAN A WHISPER: CELEBRATING THE MUSIC OF NANCI GRIFFITH. The bridge starts at 1:15
From what I can tell it is a pedal steel guitar riff in E. Not sure if it is technically a bridge or not. Can you improv some slide guitar? That’s what I would try first. Probably easiest with open E tuning for a few bars.
Hey Clint - appreciate you giving it a listen. No, I’m a far stretch away from being able to improvise any slide guitar (still within my first year of learning). I am more curious about ways to think about bridges (or instrumental breaks) in songs when I’m playing solo and am still somewhat limited in what I am capable of doing on the instrument.
The answer (from my point of view) will depend on the song and vibe. I also wouldn’t rule out skipping it and continuing on your journey. With one year in --there is plenty of road ahead. Cheers!
If you are going to be playing a rhythm part during an instrumental break, supporting a soloist, you can bring in a change to your playing style. Think of dynamics (go louder or quieter), think of switching from open chords with a fixed strumming pattern to perhaps power chords with all-down muted 8ths strumming, or open chords arpeggiated or even just a different strumming pattern. The options are many and will expand as you continue to learn and progress.
